Green Arrow, AKA CLARK KENT!
by Lara-Van
Summary: Set immediately after the Season 6 episode 'Hydro', neither Lois nor Clark can forget about the kiss they shared. Now Lois is lusting after the Green Arrow, and Clark can't get Lois out of his head. Clois. Obviously.
1. I'm in Love With Her

"Your secret's safe with me, Oliver." Lois whispered to her rescuer. And then she kissed him.

She knew immediately that something wasn't quite right. This wasn't Oliver. Oliver was a fantastic kisser, but he had a tendency to use just a tad too much tongue for her taste. This man... well, his kiss was just out of this world, gentle but expressing a passion that set her heart racing. If Lois had been the type of girl to swoon, she just might have in the arms of this mystery man, this Green Arrow. But Lois was NOT the type of girl to swoon. She pulled back from the embrace.

"You're not--" she began. "That's a helluva thank you," said the voice of Oliver Queen, her boyfriend. Oh god. Could this night get any weirder? Lois did the only thing she could to resolve the situation. She slapped the hooded man in front of her as hard as she could.

Lois looked apologetically at Oliver, but a sudden sound distracted her. She turned her head just in time to see the mysterious stranger disappear in a sudden flash of superhuman speed.

"Did you just call him Oliver?" Ollie asked her. Oh no. This was SO awkward! "It was, uh... just a hunch," Lois said by way of explanation.

* * *

It had been a week since that impassioned- and ill-advised- kiss in the back alley, and Lois Lane simply couldn't get it out of her head.

She was lying in her bed in the Talon apartment. It was five-thirty a.m. and she had just woken from a dead sleep, that she couldn't seem to sink back into. Because she was thinking about HIM. The Green Arrow. It was so strange! So unlike her to even be awake this early in the morning, let alone completely conscious and unable to fall asleep again!

Lois shook her head. What was wrong with her? She was acting completely out of character. Lois Lane was NOT the damsel in distress who lay weeping at night because she needed some MAN to fill an emptiness in her life. Lois Lane was a strong, independent woman who didn't need ANYONE, man or not.

But the Green Arrow's kiss had created in her a deep longing she simply didn't understand. She knew she had had boyfriends who would have KILLED to have her feeling the way she did right now. But nothing they had done had touched this place in her, whereas a simple KISS from this guy...

"Ugh, what am I DOING?" she groaned out loud. "I swore- very publicly, too- to unmask this guy. I made a point of getting on his bad side! But he's got me sighing after him like some kind of sad little schoolgirl! Next thing you know, I'll be hanging around rooftops, hoping to see him!"

Lois formed a quiet resolution not to go on a roof until this Green Arrow guy got what was coming to him. After all, he WAS a criminal...

Three nights later found Lois on the roof of the Daily Planet, gazing out across the city.

* * *

"Your secret's safe with me, Oliver," Lois whispered in his ear. And then she kissed him.

For the barest second, all of Clark's inhibitions rose up to surround him and he held back. This was LOIS, for god's sake, his FRIEND! And she was dating another close friend of his. This wasn't right, it wasn't...

And then suddenly, it didn't matter. Because Lois was, simply put, an AMAZING kisser. He experienced a rush of joy unlike anything he had ever felt before. His last coherent thought was that this was FAR better than kissing Lana ever had been, and then he lost himself in the kiss.

But suddenly Lois was pulling away. "You're not--" she said. "That's a helluva thank you," Oliver said. Oh god. Oliver! How the hell would he explain this? Oh well. Right now was NOT the time to try. In a burst of superspeed, he dashed to the end of the alley.

Leaning up against the wall, out of sight, he peeled back the hood and slipped off his darkened glasses. He was gasping, but it couldn't be from the superspeed. He'd barely exerted himself. So why... No, that was a stupid question. It was because of Lois. A small smile crept across his face...

* * *

"Sorry, man. About last week I mean. It was totally... I really shouldn't have kissed her back. And I'm also sorry I haven't had a chance to call you since then. It's been a crazy week on the farm. Anyway, just call me back when you get this message." Clark snapped his cell phone shut.

The truth was, he hadn't called Ollie to apologize this week, not because of an overload of work, but because he didn't want to lie to him. And if he had told Ollie that he was sorry for kissing Lois before today, he wouldn't have meant it.

But after a week, it was getting old, dreaming about that moment every night, feeling the touch of her lips every time his mind wandered. If he could take back the moment, he would. Because just a simple kiss had somehow bewitched him far more than ANYTHING Lana had ever done.

Lois Lane had hooked him. She occupied some corner in the back of his mind at all times now. How had this happened? They'd been friends for almost three years now. Had he really never had feelings for her before now? Or had he been blinded by his love for Lana that he had simply... never noticed?

But that didn't seem possible. Because if he was really honest with himself, he... No. He wouldn't allow himself to complete that thought. It was too... Too what? Too ridiculous? Too impossible?

Twenty minutes later, Clark lost the battle in his head. He gave in and whispered the words that had been resounding in his head for some time. "I'm in love with Lois Lane." And he smiled...

To be continued...


	2. Confessions and Heartbreak

Arthur Curry's hearty laugh resonated through Oliver's apartment. The 'Justice League', as Bart Allen had taken to calling this band of superpowered crusaders, were relaxing after their highly successful mission.

"Man, CK, you have **really** got to come with us more often," AC called across the apartment. "This shit is so much more fun when we also get to corrupt you in the process." Clark grinned. He really **had** had a good time tonight, even accounting for the kryptonite poisoning. He wasn't sure how he felt about having actually blown up Lex's facility, but in restrospect, it still seemed like the best course of action.

Bart, Victor, and AC were sitting together in the sunken interior of the apartment, while Clark and Oliver were leaning against the railing, in front of the clock facade that disguised Oliver's secret gear room. Chloe had left early, begging off celebrating by claiming she had a term paper to finish.

Oliver broke out a six pack. "Hey, who's up for a cold one? Bottled yesterday in the farmboy's hometown!" There was a mad rush for the beer, and Oliver managed to rescue a pair of bottles. He opened the first one and offered the second to Clark. "No thanks. I don't drink," Clark said. "Are you kidding?" Oliver scoffed. "Come on, Clark. We just blew a top-secret genetic testing facility off the map! That's worthy of a little celebration." Clark sighed and took the beer.

Somehow or another, Bart introduced the idea of a drinking game, and several more six-packs emerged from various stashes around the apartment. Clark raised his eyebrows. Oliver shrugged. "Hey, I knew what was going down tonight. Figured I'd better be prepared." Victor snorted.

"Hey Clark, think you can outdrink Impulse here?" Victor said. Clark grinned. "You bet." "You sure? With his metabolism..." AC said. Clark folded his arms and twisted his mouth in a cocky smirk. "My metabolism's pretty awesome too, AC," he said.

Twenty shots later, Bart was asleep on the couch and Clark felt dizzy and faintly sick. "Damn, Oliver. What the hell kinda beer IS this? I've drunk ten times this much and not even been tipsy!" he said. Ollie grinned.

Clark groaned softly. The room was spinning. This was absolutely **not normal**. Maybe for other people, but alcohol didn't affect **him**.

"Good guess, Clark. It's... special. There's a secret ingredient. Gives it a little extra zing, More of a punch, y'know?" Clark put a hand up to his face. His vision was telescoping. "What exactly is this secret ingredient?" he asked. "Just the tiniest bit of Smallville meteor rock," Oliver said. "Oh, shit," Clark had time to say, before he passed out cold on the rug.

* * *

When he opened his eyes, AC and Victor were bending over him. "Dude, you have **no** tolerance for alcohol, do you?" AC asked. Clark groaned and clutched at his head.

"It's not the beer. Alcohol doesn't affect me," he hissed in a pained voice. "It's the damned meteors. They're like poison to me. Bart knows that... Bart, dammit, why didn't you say something? Those things are deadly."

Victor helped him up and supported him as far as the sofa, then he and AC sat down on the other sofa across the coffee table. Clark collapsed onto the couch and sighed. "Ollie, a little warning about the damn kryptonite would've been nice. I mean, you know that stuff turns people into freaks. Doesn't the beer come with some kind of disclaimer?" he asked.

Ollie shrugged. "There's not much in there. Just enough to magnify the effect." Something seemed to occur to him. "What did you call it? The meteor rock, I mean?" he asked. Clark sighed. "Okay guys, drunk confession time. I'm not human."

Bart, bleary-eyed, sat up and managed to look interested. AC shrugged. "Well, that's no big deal. I'm not entirely _Homo sapien_ either, if you know what I mean." Clark shot him a withering look. "No, that's not what I mean. I'm an alien. My home planet exploded when I was a baby. I crashed down in Smallville during the first meteor shower. And I'm the last of my kind." The kryptonite in his system, plus the beer, seemed to be having a kind of stupefying effect on him, and he giggled slightly.

"Heh. When I die, my species goes extinct. Which is cool. 'Cause I did die once. And then my dead father brought me back to life. That was weird." He was gazing off into space, smiling and nodding to himself.

Oliver and Victor looked at each other, clearly unsure whether to laugh or not. AC just stared at Clark, and Bart had passed out again. "Yeah... the meteors are called kryptonite. 'Cause they're little pieces of Krypton. Krypton was where I was born. And then it exploded. And then Smallville got attacked with it. And then my parents found me." He began giggling uncontrollably.

Oliver heaved himself up off the couch. "Okay, Clark. I think you've had enough talking. **You** are going to sleep until I can find somebody to take you home." Supporting his friend by the shoulders, he helped him up off the sofa and off to the bedroom. As they disappeared around the corner, AC leaned over to Victor and whispered, "Man, CK's life is seriously fucked up." "Hey! I heard that," came Clark's slurred voice from the bedroom. "I've got superhearing, man!"

Some hours later, AC slipped into the bedroom where Clark was passed out on the bed. "Hey man, I got something to ask you. You awake?" AC whispered. After several seconds of silence, he shrugged. "Guess not."

Just as he was about to leave the room, Clark shifted in his sleep and muttered. "Lois?" he whispered. AC's ears perked up. Clark continued to talk in his sleep for several seconds, and Lois's name came up several times. Well, this was interesting. AC was long over the beautiful and inquisitive woman, but he knew that Oliver and she were involved somehow. So why was **CK **the one whispering her name in his sleep? He'd have to probe this situation, because even if things were over between himself and Lois, he still cared about her, and there was just too much potential for her to get hurt in this situation...

Clark opened his eyes to see faint streams of sunlight sneaking past the curtains, AC sitting next to the bed, apparently waiting for him to wake up, and a splitting headache. "Oh, damn." he groaned. "Freaking kryptonite beer. Who'd ever figure?" AC shrugged. "Never had a hangover before?" he asked. Clark shook his head, and got up to open the curtains.

"You're not going to want the curtains open. Kills your eyes," AC advised. "Nah," Clark replied. "I'm solar powered. Probably the sun's the most likely thing to make me feel better." Arthur grinned. "You're a really weird guy, y'know that CK?"

After a few minutes of simply standing before the window absorbing the sun's light, Clark turned around, now feeling much better.

"I take it by the fact that you were waiting for me to wake up that you had something to say?" he asked. AC nodded. "Last night I popped in here to ask you something about the... the kryptonite stuff, but you were out cold. And talking in your sleep." Clark groaned silently. His dreams had, once again, been filled with visions of a certain brunette reporter, and he had a feeling he knew some of what he'd said.

"Yeah?" he said as casually as he could. AC glanced around, trying to find the best way to say this. "Look, you mentioned Lois's name a couple times. I know it's really none of my business, but... aren't she and Oliver an item?" Clark nodded. "I've never seen her this serious about anybody," he said unhappily.

AC couldn't help but smile. CK had clearly fallen hard for his friend. Well, he could certainly understand the attraction. And CK was too good a guy to butt in on Ollie's relationship. "You're in love with her, aren't you," he said simply. Clark fell backward onto the bed, then nodded.

Despite having known that fact already, AC was stumped for something to say. But he didn't have to. Clark started speaking on his own. "A couple weeks ago, she was really close to finding out about Ollie's green-clad alter-ego, and he asked for my help in misleading her. I don't know why I bothered. Keeping secrets only hurts a relationship."

AC could relate. His own secret had destroyed any chance he'd had with Lois. But Clark was continuing. "I dressed up as the Green Arrow and rescued her from this gang of street thugs. And right as Ollie was coming around the corner and she hadn't seen him yet, so she just... kissed me." He sighed. "Maybe I was in love with her before that. I think I was, but I wouldn't let myself see it. And now that I've finally figured out what I want, she's going around mooning after the 'Green Arrow'. It's like torture, only worse."

AC nodded. "I haven't got a clue what you mean, but I'm going to nod sympathetically," he said. Clark smiled half-heartedly. "Well, I've got chores to do. I should probably get home." He stood up, picked up his red jacket, and turned back to AC. "Thanks for listening AC. It means a lot to me." "Not a problem.

Clark supersped home, suddenly feeling much lighter, now that he had told someone his latest secret.

Lois placed her latest purchase from Victoria's secret in her suitcase. Chloe lay sprawled across her bed, grinning at her. "So... going all out for Ollie?" she asked casually. "Yeah. Don't think I'll **ever** be able to wear that green lace one-piece, though," she said sadly. Chloe chuckled. "What? Would thoughts of Clark interrupt an intimate moment?" she asked, mock-seriously. Lois sighed. "More or less. Why does he just bust in here like that?" she said huffily.

"You're the one who gave him the key to your apartment," Chloe pointed out. Lois shrugged, examining the rather... exotic... apparel laid out on her bed. Chloe followed her gaze, and noticed a theme. "Um... Lois, last time I checked, your favorite color was yellow. Did I miss something?"

Lois sighed. "I guess I've just had green on the brain lately," she said. Sudden understanding passed through Chloe's mind. "Two guesses why," she said, a hint of irony in her voice. "It is **not** like that and you know it, Chloe," she said defensively.

"If you say so," Chloe said, waiting for the outburst. "Okay, so... so it was the best kiss I've ever had. So what? Is it so wrong to have a little crush on the guy? I mean, you have to admit, the whole Robin Hood thing is kind of intriguing, don't you think? What girl doesn't like a little mystery?" Chloe smiled wickedly. "The best kiss you've ever had, huh?" she teased.

"Aargh!" Lois cried. "Will you just **drop** it, Chlo?" Chloe nodded. This was interesting. Even Lois didn't usually get this worked up about something so seemingly unimportant. Especially when she was on her way to Monte Carlo with her billionaire boyfriend. Her reporter instincts told her that there was more going on here than met the eye...

Lois flung her suitcase in a corner and herself onto her bed. A single tear coursed down her cheek. She wasn't sure whether or not she could find her way back to life without Oliver. It was like she didn't remember who she was, who she had been.

There was a faint creak as the door opened. "Lois?" came a soft male voice.

For half a second, Lois thought Oliver had come, to try and win her back. But then, as she turned around, she found herself staring up at Clark, who was standing beside the bed, gazing at her with concern. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She bit her lip and shook her head. Then she lowered her head and turned away so he wouldn't see that she suddenly couldn't contain her tears.

He sat on the bed next to her, and she risked a glance at her. There was such a look of tender concern in his eyes, that she completely lost control of herself and began sobbing hysterically.

The next thing she knew, he had enfolded her in his arms and was rocking her gently, whispering something into her hair. She sobbed and sobbed until she had cried herself to exhaustion, and released all the pain in her soul at losing the one person she had thought she might be able to really love.

When she finally drifted away in an uneasy sleep, Clark gently lowered her down onto the bed and pulled the blankets up over her shoulders. Then he quietly crept out of the apartment.

When Lois woke up, though she still felt the loss of Oliver keenly, she was able to put it in perspective. She had known that they'd never have a future. She'd known it from the beginning. He was a billionaire, and she was a nobody reporter. But she had felt so strongly for him, she had let him slip through the cracks in her armor and catch glimpses of who she really was.

But there had been times when she was reminded that it was an impossible relationship. Every time he disappeared, or canceled dates without warning, she remembered the miles between them. But somehow she had still allowed herself to be weak. She had given someone the front door key to her heart, and he had come in and trashed it.

Well, never again, she decided. Heartache was all that ever came from relationships. "That's it. I've sworn off men," she said aloud. And then, remembering the night before, she grinned half-heartedly. "Well, except for Smallville of course," she mused, staring at her reflection in the toaster.

To be continued...

**N/A:** Yeah, I know, this probably wasn't my best work, but I needed to get through Lois and Ollie's breakup, and I'm never great at that... So I think this chapter kind of needs an explanation.

As it's my plan to have a "Lois" and a "Clark" section in each chapter, I thought, 'well, what did the baby Justice League do **after** they blew Lex Luthor's warehouse up.' And it came to me, 'They're a bunch of young guys, they're gonna go have a drink.' And of course, this is Smallville. There can't just be normal beer. There has to be **kryptonite** beer.

Plus it's always bothered me that while Clark knows the origins of all the other members of the Justice League, they clearly know nothing about his. So I thought 'well, he gets drunk, tells them all about it. And then he confesses to Arthur how he's madly in love with Lois. Because he's drunk.'

So that's where my head was on this chapter. Like I said, it's not the greatest, but I promise you this will pick up in Chapter Three...


	3. Chloe's Evil Plot

It had been several weeks since Lois and Oliver split. She was still down, but Clark and Chloe had been so supportive it was hard to stay sad for long. It was only late at night when the depression started to creep over the corners. But Lois was strong. She could get past this, she could handle this, as she had handled everything else she'd ever come across.

And it didn't hurt that Clark seemed to have gotten past his despair at Lana's acceptance of Lex's proposal. In fact, he seemed to be happier than he'd been even when they had been together. And if **Smallville** could do it, so could she.

One morning, she and Chloe were having breakfast in the Talon apartment. There was a knock on the door, and then the man himself walked in the door. "Hey Chloe," he said. "Jimmy said you weren't answering your phone, so I thought I'd drop by and see if everything was okay."

Lois snorted. "God, you can be such a boy scout sometimes, you know that Smallville?" The strangest look passed across Clark's face. It was like he couldn't decide whether to laugh or tear his hair. He'd had that look on a lot lately. It perturbed her. And when Lois was out of her depth, there was only one conceivable course of action. She made use of her razored tongue.

"Yeah, you know, most people would just call and check in. You tramp in here and totally destroy my peaceful breakfast," she said as witheringly as she could manage. Clark's eyebrows shot up. "Peaceful? You? In... **anything**? I find that hard to believe. And just for your information, I **did** call. Chloe's cell phone is off, yours went to voicemail, and your land line is disconnected."

That was better. This was how it was supposed to be; Clark teasing her and (though she'd never admit it) making an excellent point, her answering back in the greatest height of sarcasm. Anything else just annoyed her and, if she was really being honest, scared the hell out of her.

She grinned. "What? Seriously? I find that hard to believe. Chloe paid the phone bill last month, after all." Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Um... Lo? Last month was **your** month to pay the bills," she said. Lois felt her stomach dropped, and she reached over to pick up the phone.

"Dammit! No dial tone. God I hate it when you're right, Smallville," she groaned. He grinned cockily. "You must hate a good portion of your life then," he teased. "Oh, don't you wish," she answered back. "How about you get out so Chloe and I can finish our breakfast in relative calm?"

He shrugged. "I'll let Jimmy know your phone's dead," he said, and reluctantly turned to leave the apartment.

Lois smiled triumphantly. She'd won this round, at least. Clark Kent got the better of her **far** more often than she'd like. She turned around to find Chloe looking at her, perplexed.

"What?" Lois asked. "What the hell was that?" Chloe asked, looking unusually serious. Lois cocked an eyebrow. "What the hell was **what**?"

"**That**," Chloe said. "You've been moping all morning. You might not have thought so, but I know you. There was no complaining when I made the coffee, no complaining about your jerk editor, no complaining about the complete lack of leads on your latest story... whether you know it or not, this whole Oliver thing has really messed with you.

"But the second Clark walked in you just... lit up. And you've started repeating his phrases. 'I find that hard to believe' was definitely his line first." Lois looked incredulous. "What are you talking about? You make it sound like I've got a thing for... for **Smallville**? Are you freaking kidding me? I'd think you, of all people, would know better than **that**."

"Fervent denial noted," Chloe said calmly. "I just call it as I see it, Lo." Lois folded her arms, and Chloe held up one hand in defeat. "Fine, fine. I'm officially butting out." What Lois didn't see was Chloe's other hand, fingers crossed behind her back.

"By the way, the Green Arrow's been spotted in Star City. Maybe you should pay him a visit." Lois looked surprised. "Really? What's he doing there?" she asked. Chloe shrugged. "It's where he first showed up, you know. Maybe he got homesick. Or maybe Metropolis just ticked him off."

Lois grinned. "Well, there are a couple of charity events going on in Star City next weekend. Maybe I just will drop in and poke around." Chloe gave her a knowing look. "I mean... it would be a fantastic story if I could unmask him," she hastened to add. Chloe smiled and left the apartment, determined that **for once** she would actually arrive at the Planet on time. The three hour drive was killer.

Alone in the apartment, Lois smiled to herself. Picking up her cell phone, she dialed her editor. "Yeah, Mr. Forston? Lois Lane. Listen, I think I might have an angle on some of those charity events in Star City. Next weekend. Yes. Yeah, I can do that." She continued to listen for a few minutes, occasionally scribbling down a quick note on the pad of paper sitting in front of her. She hung up the phone and grinned wickedly. "You can't hide from me, whoever you are..." she said absently, gazing out the window.

Clark was waiting outside the Daily Planet, as per the instructions Chloe had left on his voicemail earlier that afternoon. When she finally made her way through the revolving doors, he stood up from the table where he had been sitting. They walked together to her car, and he slid into the passenger seat.

"Hey. So what was so important it couldn't wait until you got back to Smallville?" he asked. "One of these days I just **know** I'm going to regret sticking my nose in where I probably shouldn't," Chloe sighed. Clark shot her a look as she turned onto the main road that would take them to the highway.

Taking a deep breath, she began. "Well, I've been doing a little Watchtower work for Oliver on the side--" "What!? Are you... is **he** crazy?" Clark shouted. "No, no no no!" Chloe interrupted before he could get any further. "I haven't been going with them or anything. Just long-range guidance and some hacking and stuff." Clark calmed at her words, but he still didn't look too happy. Chloe concentrated on the entrance ramp to the highway for a moment before continuing.

"Anyway, after one of their more recent missions, they came by the Planet to pick up some hard copy stuff from me, and I got a chance to talk to AC." Momentary dread crossed Clark's face, only to be replaced by a kind of resignation. "You'd think he'd know to keep a guy's hangover ravings private," Clark sighed. "Yeah, he mentioned something about kryptonite beer... but what really interested me was... something else."

Clark nodded. "Yeah, I know. It's just so crazy, you know? I never thought I would be in love with anyone but Lana, and this... I can hardly see straight when I'm around her." Chloe looked at him, silently urging him to continue.

Encouraged, Clark plunged on. "It's not a relationship I'd have **ever** even considered, but now that I realize I've got... feelings for Lois, it just feels so... right. Even if we're not together, even if she just sees me as an annoying little brother or something, being in love with her is so... easy."

Chloe turned to face him and said seriously, "So are you going to do anything about it?" Clark shrugged. "I want to. But it just doesn't seem like the right time. I mean, she's still upset about Oliver, and I know how much that hurts..." Chloe nodded. "Well, she might be hurting still, but she's not the only one that kiss made one hell of an impression on. She's planning a trip to Star City next weekend."

Clark looked questioningly at her. "I may or may not have let it slip that Green Arrow was back in Star City. She's going up there next weekend on the pretext of covering some of those charity events. One of which is sponsored by your mother..." Chloe trailed away, and Clark gave her an apprehensive look. "Please tell me you're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting," he groaned. Chloe gave him an evil grin. "Did I mention that one of them is a costume party?" she asked.

"Dear god, I look horrible! This is **not** what Oliver's costume looked like!" Clark said, staring at himself in the floor length mirror in the Talon apartment. Lois had left for her hotel in Star City several hours before.

"Look, the costume store was nice enough to let me rent this for a week, half charge. It's not an exact replica, but it's enough to fool anybody who hasn't seen it up close," Chloe explained. "Which Lois has," Clark pointed out.

"Well, I doubt she'll notice. She'll be too preoccupied with trying to get your hood off," Chloe said. "Yeah, and that's another problem. She's not going to be too happy if she succeeds. I mean, to her, I'm just her cousin's best friend," Clark said.

"Clark, shut up and stop trying to talk yourself out of this. And quite honestly, I think Lois pretty much sees you as **her** best friend as well as mine. Maybe more..." she trailed away. Clark gave her a questioning look. "I don't think you'd get it, it's a girl thing. But she was so down about Oliver over the past few weeks, and whenever you walked into the room she just... relaxed. It was like she was really able to be herself again. I don't know how to explain it better than that."

"That may be, but I still don't like this idea. I mean, the last time I let you talk me into anything involving costumes, we wound up being attacked by vampires," Clark argued, in a last-ditch effort to get out of this.

"That was a freak accident and you know it," Chloe said. "Now, your mom made reservations for you at the Whiteside Hotel. You are going to go, and you are going to check in, and then you're going to attend your mom's charity ball, and then you are going to go and find Lois and you are going to sweep her off her feet." She handed him a fully packed suitcase and a clothesbag for the Green Arrow costume. Clark sighed and took them.

"Fine. I'll call you and let you know how it goes. Most likely I'll be calling to ask you again why the hell I let you talk me into this." And then he supersped out of the apartment, out of Smallville, and away north in the direction of Star City.


	4. Slowdancing

Clark fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair. Fundraisers for the Star City Children's Fund were most **definitely** not his thing. His mother might thrive in this kind of situation, but everything about it, from his stiffly starched tuxedo to the awkward small talk with various members of Star City's elite made him antsy. He'd rather step out the window-wall of the 80th floor ballroom than spend a minute longer here than absolutely necessary.

Then one of the doors leading into the reception hall opened, and Lois walked in. Clark's heart nearly stopped, even as his superhearing tuned into her heartbeat, which was racing. She must be every bit as uncomfortable and nervous as he was, he thought, but you'd never know it to look at her.

She was dressed simply, in a forest green silk evening gown that brought out emerald tones in her amber eyes that he'd never noticed before, and she wore a pair of pearl earrings. Gifts from Oliver, he guessed bitterly.

Lois made her rounds through the dancing couples, speaking to prominent guests, and collecting quotes. After several minutes, she slipped her notepad and pen into her clutch and made her way toward the bar where Clark was sitting.

He felt a moment of panic. If he was going to crash the costume ball tomorrow (not to mention sweep her off her feet as some mystery man), he didn't particularly want her to know that Clark Kent was in town. Quickly he slipped away from the bar and made his way across the room to the tables where many of those less inclined to dance were seated.

After several minutes of watching the waltzing couples and sipping his drink, Clark became aware of a very attractive young blonde woman making her way toward the table where he sat alone. He dimly recalled his mother pointing her out as being the mayor's daughter.

"Hi," she said, reaching his table. He stood. "I'm tina," she said, extending her hand. "Tina McFirth." Taking the proffered hand, he said, "I'm Clark Kent." "Oh yes, Martha Kent's son. She mentioned you," Tina said, every inch the charming socialite. "Well then, Clark, would you like to dance?"

She really was very beautiful, Clark had to admit, and it was a tempting offer. "I'm sorry, Tina. I'd love to, but I'm a really terrible dancer," he said. Tina giggled. "Oh thank god! I was terrified you'd actually say yes! I'm not much for dancing myself," she said, seating herself primly in a chair across from Clark.

"So Clark," she began, "Where are you going to college?" Clark sighed inwardly. This was **exactly** the kind of girl Lana was; all sweet and sugar and beauty but no real substance, no depth, no... No Lois. But Tina had singled him out, and he wasn't going to be rude to her.

"Well, I started out at Central Kansas, but I took some time off when my father passed away," he said. He felt a dull pain in his heart. Even a year later, thinking about Jonathan Kent was still difficult.

"But I've submitted an application to Met U," he continued. In fact, he had done no such thing, but suddenly it seemed a tremendously good idea.

"Really? That's nice," Tina said. "I'm attending NKU. I'm an English major." She batted her eyes at him. Attempting to ignore it, Clark responded, "I don't really know what I want to study, but I'm thinking about... journalism."

He didn't know why he said it. No, actually, he did, but if he thought about **her**, his mind would drift away, and he owed Tina his full attention, simply as common courtesy.

"Oh really? That is **so** exciting!" Tina bubbled. "You must be **really** good with words. Hey, that's something we've got in common!" And she was off, prattling away about something one of her professors had said.

And, try as he might, Clark's attention wandered. Tina was charming and beautiful, but she wasn't interesting and she wasn't Lois.

Clark's gaze was drawn to the bar. Lois was seated on a high silver stool, gazing into something that he suspected contained a large amount of vodka. Even from this distance he could clearly see that something was bothering her.

All thoughts of concealing his presence in Star City vanished. Lois was upset. She needed him. That was all that mattered.

Tina had finally stopped talking, and he used the sudden pause to say, "Would you excuse me? I've just spotted... a friend of mine, and I should probably go say hello." Tina nodded and he stood up.

Tina watched him go. She'd noticed the moment his attention had left her. He'd glanced all around the room, and then suddenly his expression, previously reserved and uncomfortable, had changed. It was as though he'd lit up from the inside. His eyes had softened, the tiniest smile crossed his lips, and his whole posture had relaxed. She had followed his gaze and saw that reporter girl, something-or-other Lane. So **that** was why he wanted to get into journalism...

Tina smiled as Clark made his way across the room. She'd never seen **any** guy look at someone that way before, and she had observed many budding romances. Clark was clearly deeply in love with her. Ms. Lane was a damn lucky woman and Tina hoped she knew it.

She didn't mind letting Clark get away, as long as he was going away to her. Besides, there was a really cute blonde guy across the room...

Clark rested a hand on her shoulder, and Lois whipped around. "Who-- ? Oh, Smallville. It's you," she said. Clark forced a smile, but her tone pained him. It was like she'd been expecting- hoping for- someone else.

"So what exactly are you doing at this white-collar shindig?" she asked. Clark smiled. "It's my mother's 'white-collar shindig', remember? I'm required by my duty as a son to put in an appearance," he said in a mock-serious tone.

Lois laughed. "Thanks Smallville. I needed cheering up. I've never been good at these formal things," she said. Clark nodded. "I know what you mean. I hate them."

She smiled at him, and he felt as though, had he not been sitting down, his legs would have given way. How did she do this to him? Lois Lane had always been his friend, and had almost always been able to get whatever she wanted from him by throwing words around and giving him sad eyes until he was either completely lost or simply gave in to shut her up. But now he was in love with her, and she could completely undo him with a look, a gesture. How did she do it?

On an impulse, he asked, "Would you like to dance?" Lois looked at him strangely, and he rushed to explain. "I mean, you're here and you've got to stay to get information for your story, right? You might as well try to enjoy yourself."

She grinned. "Well, I denied you the pleasure at your senior prom, and as your arguments are so pathetically similar, how can I turn you down again?" Clark smiled. "I'm going to assume that's your convoluted way of saying yes."

They stood up, and he took her hand as casually as he was able. The band in the corner of the room changed songs, starting in on some swing tune from the '40s.

As the pair made their way onto the dance floor, Lois leaned over and asked, "So Clark, do you know anything about swing dancing?" He grinned. "I tried it. Once. Lana made me promise never to do it again." "Great. Me neither," Lois said, laughing.

Although the other guests clearly knew exactly what they were doing, Clark settled for an awkward sort of two-step. Far less dangerous than attempting the wild flips and turns of the other dancers. Several breathless minutes later, the song ended and Lois, laughing, said, "You're right, you really are a terrible dancer." Clark shrugged.

"That's alright. I won't hold it against you. This time." she said with a wicked smile. Clark melted. Even if she didn't feel the same way about him, it was wonderful to see her, talk to her, dance with her. He didn't think he could get any happier until Lois said, "So, shall we dance again, or is one near-disaster enough for you?"

He said, "I think we can tempt fate twice and get away with it, don't you?" Taking his hand, she said, "You know me, I like living on the edge."

The band struck up a new song. It was a slow lounge jazz piece. Perfect for slow-dancing, Clark thought. Good, he could do this. He slipped his arm around her waist and her hand found his shoulder; they began to sway gently.

A minute or two into the song, he looked down and saw that Lois's eyes were swimming with unshed tears. "Lois, what is it?" he asked gently. She bit her lip and looked away. "It's just that... on our first date, Ollie and I danced to this song." A single tear spilled down his cheek.

Clark's stomach iced over, not from jealousy at hearing Oliver's name, but because he'd had **no** idea she was still hurting this much. Lois was upset, she was hurting, and it was killing him. Seeing her cry was like a physical wound, and he had no idea how to make her pain go away.

Releasing her right hand, Clark wiped the tears away with his thumb. "I know it hurts," he whispered. "It's like you don't know how to be yourself without them. Everything reminds you of them. But there's light at the end of the tunnel. I promise there is."

Lois smiled weakly. "Thank you," she said softly. And then suddenly, unexpectedly, she leaned in to rest her head on his shoulder, and took his free hand in hers again,

They continued to sway together, and hesitantly, Clark rested his cheek in her hair.

He could smell her perfume, a crisp citrus scent unlike anything Lana or Alicia had ever worn. Yes, Lois Land was one of a kind. He wouldn't have it any other way.

He was unsure how long they stayed that way. occasionally he dimly registered the songs changing. Occasionally, he registered the songs changing. Once, he considered the fact that they must look odd, still slow dancing when the band was playing such an upbeat song, but the thought went away as quickly as it came. This moment was too perfect for him to care.

Clark looked up at the clock. He had promised his mother he would stay until at least nine-thirty. It was a quarter to eleven. He smiled and leaned his cheek against Lois's head once more. He could stay just a little longer...

Cautiously, Lois opened the door to the ballroom. This was Ollie's world. The rich and famous, the influential... Everything here reminded her of him. And this was Star City, his hometown. There was a good chance he'd be here. At least at the masked costume ball tomorrow, she wouldn't have to worry about being recognized by him.

Why had she even come? She'd known it was a stupid idea in the first place. Not even the chance to see the Green Arrow was worth running into her ex. Oh well. She was here now; might as well do her job.

And she tried. She spoke to all the right people, sounded out the room. But there was only so much to be done, and her heart wasn't in it. Eventually even the most stoic reporter will get tired of talking to old politicians, old billionaires, and their much-younger wives.

She found her way to the bar. "Vodka soda," she muttered at the bartender, tossing down a few bills. Very soon she was engrossed in staring at her drink, wondering what the hell she had been thinking, coming here.

Suddenly, Lois felt a large hand on her shoulder. She whipped around, thinking, "Please god, don't let it be Ollie." She wasn't disappointed. "Who--? Oh, Smallville. It's you." In fact, she was somewhat disappointed that it **wasn't** Oliver. They hadn't left things well. Maybe clearing the air would help her feel better.

Clark settled on a stool next to her. "So, Smallville, what exactly are you doing at this white-collar shindig?" she asked, surprised to see him. He flashed her his ten-megawatt smile, and she suddenly found herself very disconcerted. It was always very distracting to her how good he looked in a tux, and it **shouldn't** be. I mean, for god's sake, this was **Smallville **she was talking to!

"It's my mother's 'white-collar shindig' remember? I'm required by my duty as a son to put in an appearance," he said.

She laughed. For all his geekiness, Smallville could be really charming when he wanted to. "Thanks, Smallville. I needed cheering up. I don't do well at these formal things." He nodded, grinning again. "I know what you mean. I hate them!"

He was giving her a look that she couldn't place. There was a kind of softness in his eyes that she'd never seen there before. It couldn't possibly mean what she wished it meant. There was no chance Clark had had the same thoughts that- Green Arrow or no Green Arrow- she'd found herself unwillingly having lately.

Then Clark asked, "Would you like to dance?"

And Lois found that she did want to dance with him. But why? This was **Clark** after all. Her best friend! If she was completely honest with herself, she wished he weren't **just** a friend... It scared her.

Clark hurried to explain. "I mean, you've got to stay to get information for your story, and you might as well try and enjoy yourself." She grinned. Clark always had a way of putting her completely at ease, and he looked so pathetic with those green eyes so apprehensive...

"Well, since I denied you the pleasure at your senior prom, and your arguments are so pathetically similar, how can I turn you down again?" she said, and was rewarded by seeing him smile again. "I'm going to assume that's your convoluted way of saying yes," he said, and if that were possible, he grinned even wider. God he had the best smile. Even Ollie couldn't smile like that.

He took her hand and led her onto the floor as the band began to play and Lois groaned inwardly. It was swing music. This was **not** going to end well, if the rumors she'd heard from Chloe were true.

Making light of it, she asked, "So Clark, you know anything about swing dancing?" He gave her a sheepish grin and murmured, "I tried it. Once. Lana made me promise never to do it again." Lois laughed. "Good. Me neither!"

Clark took her other hand, and they began some kind of strange dance pattern Lois couldn't **begin** to identify. The other guests were glaring at them, and Lois was sure that, had she been with Oliver, she would have felt self-conscious. But Clark somehow made it feel like some big joke, completely natural.

Once, she stumbled, and she was sure that in her too-high heels, she would fall. But suddenly Clark's hand was on her waist, steadying her. She smiled her thanks, and tried to calm her flip-flopping stomach.

Finally the song ended. Lois decided that it had been far too short for her to have any reasonable kind of fun. Casually and with a couple of friendly jabs at Clark thrown in for good measure, she suggested another dance.

"I think we can tempt fate twice and get away with it, don't you?" he replied jokingly. The band began again, this time a slower piece that seemed oddly familiar to her. As Lois placed her hand on his shoulder, she racked her brains, trying to remember where she'd heard it before.

And then it hit her. She and Oliver had danced to this song at Lex Luthor's charity ball. Sudden tears sprang to her eyes. It wasn't fair! She'd been having such a good time, and then reminder of **him** came crashing into her.

"Lois, what is it?" Clark asked, suddenly looking concerned. She bit her lip and looked away. She didn't want him to see her cry, didn't want him to see her weak. Haltingly, she explained the problem, refusing to look at him, refusing to see the pity that was surely in his eyes.

Suddenly, she felt his hand on her cheek, drying away her tears, and she couldn't help it. She looked up at him, and to her surprise there was not a shred of pity in his gaze. Sympathy, yes, but no pity, no condescension.

"I know it hurts. It's like you don't remember how to be yourself without them. Everything reminds you of them. But there's light at the end of the tunnel. I promise there is," he whispered gently. She tried to smile. "Thank you," she said simply.

Then she leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. She wasn't sure why. All Lois knew was that at that moment, everything just felt... right. She felt Clark's cheek rest gently in her hair, and smiled to herself.

The song ended, and she briefly considered pulling away, but decided against it. All her life she'd been a drifter, moving from one place to another and never staying long enough to put down roots. She knew only too well that **everyone** would abandon her sooner or later. But right now, with Clark holding her here, moving slowly in time to another song, all her doubts and fears fell away. She could deal with them later. For now, just for this moment, she was anchored. She was safe.

Across the room, Martha Kent watched her son dancing with Lois Lane. There was a look on his face that she couldn't ever recall having seen there before. He looked totally and completely at peace, and happier than she remembered ever seeing him.

She smiled. She'd known for some time that Clark and Lana weren't a good match. She would never have guessed, though, that it would be Lois of all people who finally caught his eye.

He'd always preferred quite, sweet girls. Lois, so fiery and ambitious was Clark's polar opposite. But then, maybe that was the point.

Tina McFirth glanced at the pair in the center of the floor. It was tacky, she thought, to still be slow-dancing when everyone else was engaged in a lively tango. But then, there wasn't a person in the room who would dare encroach on that couple's moment.

If she had thought Clark's expression had been luminous before, it was nothing compared to what he looked like now. There was a radiant joy in his face that Tina couldn't even begin to comprehend.

Now, Tina thought wryly, if only she could get the handsome billionaire on her arm to look at **her** like that. She glanced up and smiled at her dance partner, none other than Oliver Queen himself.

Oliver sighed. He'd known it would happen. Eventually she would find someone else. But he hadn't expected it to be this soon, or for that someone to be Clark Kent. He'd sensed the sparks between them the first time he'd seen them together, but had assumed it would never amount to anything.

Every fiber of him wanted to go and tear Clark to bits, even though he knew that wasn't physically possible. But his conscience held him back. Lois looked happy and at peace with the world in a way he'd never seen her. And Clark... well it was a wonder the air around his friend didn't catch fire, he was so happy.

Oliver hoped Clark made Lois as happy as she seemed to make him. She deserved the very best.

He glanced around the room. There wasn't a person in attendance who hadn't noticed the pair. That didn't surprise Ollie. It was hard **not** to see them. Clark was quite literally glowing with happiness.

Ollie sighed again. He still wanted nothing better than to rush over there, to apologize to Lois, tell her the truth, win her back. But this budding romance he was seeing, young (and probably unacknowledged) though it was, felt somehow different from every relationship he'd ever seen. There was something... sacred... inviolable... between these two. Even from here, even knowing that the emotions involved couldn't have been in existence long, there was suddenly something powerful between these two, something he had a difficult time defining.

After much thought and more alcohol, a possible answer drifted through his mind. Soul mates, he thought idly, and he downed a fourth shot of brandy.

--

N/A: Okay, so I've got this little dilemma: I can't decide on costumes for Lois and Clark for the costumed ball. If anybody's got any suggestions, please review and let me know. And just so you know- Batman and Spiderman are out. I'm not considering them.


	5. Preparations

Lois pulled open the door to the closet in her hotel suite. She had been up late last night, and despite sleeping late this morning, she was still tired. She was glad she still had three hours before she had to be at the ballroom at the Regency Hotel. Surely she could drink enough coffee in that time to keep her up late enough tonight.

She set the little two-cup coffeepot to brewing, and returned to her original task of fixing her hair. It was a real chore- her hair was so thick, she could never quite tame it completely short of straightening it to the point that she almost burned it with the iron. But after nearly an hour with the curling iron, she achieved her goal.

It looked pretty good, she thought, examining her reflection in the large mirror. Now if she could just turn the face she'd inherited from the General into something people could look at without pitying her, it would be even better. She proceeded to attack herself with mascara.

Lois wasn't much for extensive beautifying, but Chloe had called her earlier in the afternoon. She'd hinted that the Green Arrow might be there- in cognito, of course. The memory of that one kiss in the alley still made her flush whenever she thought of it. If he was going to be there, she intended to be the only girl in the room who could capture his interest.

As she streaked a light blue eyeshadow across her eyelids, she pondered the events of the evening before. Clark's determination to help her have a good time at an event he'd known would be difficult, his offer of comfort when she'd made such an ass of herself over a stupid song... It made her edgy and she didn't know why. Well, no, edgy wasn't really the right word. It was something else, something she couldn't quite put her finger on...

Finally, she found herself to be acceptable. She returned to the closet and took out her costume. She ran the blue satin through her hands, then picked up the little white domino mask that fulfilled the 'masked' part of 'masked costume ball'...

Clark hung up the phone. Chloe's announcement that she'd told Lois Green Arrow would be at the costume party this evening made him anxious. That would make Lois far more alert than even she could be. She'd be watching for him, and when Lois looked, she would find. Things could get awkward if she realized who he was.

He glanced at the closet. The Green Arrow ensemble Chloe had rented for him hung there.

But he didn't want to wear that. It seemed too... obvious. Just because Lois thought of him as tactless and unsubtle didn't mean he had to actually be that way. He'd prove to her- even if she didn't know who he was- that he could be more than just a farm boy. It made him quite glad that he'd made contingency plans in case the Green Arrow costume turned out to be a bad idea.

He had just stepped out of the shower when Chloe had called. He only had twenty minutes before the fundraiser at the Regency began. Well, time to get dressed...

A Note From Lara: Well, just a _**really**_ short little chapter (especially compared to the last one). I'm still having issues deciding on a costume for Clark. I know that's a terrible thing to admit when it's supposed to be a really big surprise, kind of a cliffhanger, what-are-they-going-as ending there. But I'm just... stuck.

If you want the next chapter, I really need you to give me some ideas. Remember, Batman and Spiderman are out. I'm going for suave, and I'd prefer a DC superhero. However, I'll also settle for a fairy tale character. But if ONE MORE PERSON sends me a private message suggesting Zorro or Batman I am going to slit my throat. He's already done Zorro, and now I've said TWICE that Batman's not viable.

Seriously people, help me out. Even if you don't normally leave reviews, just leave a really really short one with the name of some character you'd like to see Clark go as. (And now, with Reader Traffic, I KNOW how many people read my work. I also know how many reviews I get. The numbers do NOT add up people. Come on. All it takes is one word, the name of the character. That is ALL I'm asking for.)

Thank you all so much!


	6. My Name is KalEl

A Note From Lara: Well, after my pathetic begging on the tail end of last chapter, I have some serious gratitude of pay out. I know, I know, I sounded really lame and pathetic last time, but it definitely paid off. (Now let's see if you can keep it up, lol)

Thank you all for your many fantastic costume suggestions. There were so many great ideas, I had a hard time deciding which one I liked the best. One of my favorite suggestions was the Green Lantern, which came up pretty frequently. However, since Hal Jordan hasn't been introduced in the Smallville continuum, I skirted away from having Clark go as GL... But there was another suggestion, which I liked so much, and it seemed to fit so well with the costume I'd picked out for Lois, I just _had_ to run with it. So thank you **Shadow Rider **for Clark's costume idea. I'd also like to extend gratitude to **PeterPan Tinkerbell27 **for inspiring Lois's costume!

Lois handed the cabbie her fare, and pushed open the door of the taxi. She smiled sadly. If Martha Kent's fundraiser had seemed ritzy, it was nothing compared to the costume ball thrown by none other than Lionel Luthor, himself. There was a red carpet leading right out to the street and everything.

She was so out of place here; she was just a writer for a second-rate tabloid. Maybe it would be different if she was working for the Daily Planet, but she wasn't. She was here for the Inquisitor. Lois would be lucky to get a quote from some other reporter!

But the photographers lining the red carpet didn't seem to know that, as flashbulbs went off in her face. Perhaps it was because the mask hid her identity, they'd want picture of everyone, just to make sure they didn't miss someone important. Couldn't they tell she was no one special by her less-than-glowing transportation?

Lois made her way up the stairs into the Regency Hotel, crossed the lobby, and approached the tall doors leading into the hotel's largest conference room. Some kind of glorified bellboy stopped her at the door. "Invitation?" he asked. Lois dug in her purse, and flashed her press pass at him. "The Inquisitor?" he sneered at her.

She pursed her lips, returned her press pass to her purse, and pushed open the door to the conference room. Her breath caught as she surveyed the room before her. The decorations Luthor had arranged for were... stunning.

The entire room was a paradise of gothic-style columns and facades. The room was seven stories tall, complete with six balconies overlooking the main floor, and strings of lights adorned every one of them. One wall had been lined with mirrors, making the room seem twice the usual size.

Spotlights in various colors had been concealed somewhere among the balconies and shone down upon the dance floor, and a massive creation of cut glass (or even perhaps, knowing the Luthors, crystal) hung from the ceiling. Massive fountains had somehow been installed strategically around the room, and a full orchestra was seated in a corner.

It was all incredibly excessive without being gaudy or tacky. She had to hand it to Lionel Luthor. He might be a complete scuzzbag, but he had taste.

Lois walked slowly down the stairs from the mezzanine entryway, to stand in the central area. She looked around uncomfortably. Originally, her plan had been to bring a date, but Chloe had convinced her that she'd have more fun solo. Lois swore in her head for listening to her cousin. It was alright for Chloe to say you could have fun alone; she had Jimmy.

Lois looked at her reflection in the wall of mirrors, and was surprised. She'd been in too much of a hurry upon leaving the hotel room to check the final appearance of her costume.

The white satin domino mask glittered with beading and sequins, and there was a simple silver circlet across her brow, highlighting the darker tones in her hair. Her powder blue silk gown was cut long with many layers of petticoats in a medieval style, but with long, transparent gossamer sleeves. The boddice was skattered with tiny white rhinestones, and over the silk of the skirt was a layer of darker blue tulle. On her feet were an incredibly expensive pair of high-heeled crystal shoes.

Lois was completely unaccustomed to being any kind of beautiful. Being perpetually attractive was for the Lana Langs of the world. But tonight, Lois felt... stunning. And unlike the woman she was impersonating, she could make her own way in the world. She was Lois Lane- strong, ambitious, and... beautiful. It was time for Cinderella to come out of her shell and take on the world.

Clark fussed at the string of black elastic holding his mask in place. It had become entangled in his fake ponytail. He _hated_ masks, he always had. They were even worse than awkward formal parties.

But he was here on Chloe's advice, and her plan, which was sound; sweep Lois off her feet, then reveal that it was, in fact, her 'frienemy', Clark. It made him nervous, it was risky, but he was head-over-heels in love with her, and surely she'd never accept Clark just for... Clark. Maybe it was a little childish, all this subterfuge, but he wasn't sure how else to go about it.

His superhearing had picked up on Lois's heartbeat almost the moment she'd stepped out of the taxi. He listened as it drew closer and accelerated briefly. And then she was in the room. He stared at her openly, subconsciously glad that his mask disguised his gaze.

She was absolutely stunning, in a long blue dress, and her hair curled in a way that displayed her long neck and accented her perfect oval face. At first, he couldn't determine what her costume was. Then his vision zeroed in on her, and he noticed the transparent slippers on her feet.

Cinderella, then. It seemed almost fitting. But unlike the fairy tale, Clark mused, both the princess _and_ the prince were damaged goods. Before he had discovered his love for Lois, Lana had very nearly destroyed him, and she was still so perturbed by her breakup with Oliver...

Clark almost rushed up to her immediately and spoke to her, but he restrained himself. He wasn't ready, not yet. It would be better to talk to her alone, at least at first.

The party had started at seven thirty, and most likely would not be over until midnight or later. He had plenty of time. At least a half-dozen times, he was asked to dance by various members of the opposite sex. As there was little else to do, he accepted, smiling politely but distantly at each woman who took his arm.

Finally, Clark deemed that enough time had passed to make his presence known. He glanced across at the wall of mirrors, examining his reflection in the mirror. The plain white mask that covered a large portion of his face was firmly in place.

He glanced around the floor, trying to spot Lois. Clark spotted seven Cleopatras, some three dozen medieval princesses, four or so angels, and several others scattered through the crowd, but there wasn't a single Cinderella in sight. Perhaps she was on one of the balconies...

Using his X-ray vision, he scanned each successive balcony slowly, but there was no sign of Lois. His heart twisted. Maybe she'd left already, and this was all in vain... Suddenly, he noticed that the sixth and tallest balcony had a portion that extended outside the building. There was a woman standing alone outside... and yes, it was Lois.

Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, Clark supersped out onto the balcony. Lois was standing there, leaning against the railing and staring out across Star City. As he approached her silently, he noticed in amusement that she'd taken off the glass slippers, and instead stood barefoot on the cold granite floor.

"It's a beautiful evening, Miss Lane," he said, pitching his voice somewhat deeper than normal. He didn't want her to recognize his voice.

She whipped around, her long, dark curls swinging gently behind her. "Who...? How do you know my name?" she asked softly. Clark stepped up beside her, and leaned against the railing. "Don't you recognize me? We've met before." It was a risk, he knew, but he just couldn't resist.

She examined what little of his face she could see. He wondered what she was thinking. "You look familiar... but, I'm sorry. I don't remember." He smiled enigmatically at her. Suddenly, Lois was staring at his mouth. "Wait, though..." She glanced around to be sure no one else was looking. "I guess the Phantom of the Opera is an appropriate choice, Green Arrow." she whispered.

Clark smiled. "Not Arrow. Just a friend of his. That night in the alley, he'd asked me to stand in for him. The night before, he'd been badly injured stopping a convenience store robbery. Didn't want to leave Metropolis to fend for itself against some of its less than savory denizens, so he called in a favor from me."

Lois was silent for a moment. "Oh," she said quietly. "You're a pretty good kisser, you know." Clark raised his eyebrows. "Likewise," he replied, as suavely as he could manage. His heart was busy jumping around. She thought he was a good kisser!

Meanwhile, Lois was mentally beating herself around the head. Had she really just said that? It was so... so... Lana Lang of her. She'd _never _been that type of girl! It was time to redeem herself, to show this mystery man who Lois Lane really was.

"You know, you demonstrated some other pretty incredible... talents... that evening," she said. Clark smiled wryly, but inside all the alarm bells were going off. He had kind of hoped she wouldn't remember his display of unnatural speed and strength. But his secret was still halfway safe. She didn't know that it was Clark Kent behind the mask.

"You mean my powers?" he asked bluntly. "Yes. That was kind of what I was referring to. So far, I've got you pegged as incredibly strong, and faster than a speeding bullet. Anything else I should know about?" Clark grinned nervously. "Honestly, Miss Lane, I'd love to chat with you about this, but I'd rather it didn't end up on the front page of the Inquisitor, and I'd rather not talk here. Perhaps another time?"

"You know I work for the Inquisitor? Have you been keeping tabs on me?" Clark shrugged. "You're the one who threatened to unmask my friend on the front page of that particular periodicle." Lois nodded in understanding, and Clark breathed a sigh of relief. All this quick thinking to avoid seeming to know too much was far harder than Oliver made it look!

"Well, if you don't want to talk here we can leave, why wait for some other time? I'm tired of being here anyway," Lois said. Clark smiled. "Where did you have in mind?" "How about... there's a tavern near my hotel..." "Too public. Perhaps Greenland Park?"

Lois nodded, and worked to get her feet squashed back into the crystal shoes. "Why did I ever buy these torture devices?" she muttered to herself. Clark laughed softly, and she fixed her patented Lane glare on him. He held up his hands in a gesture of peace, but couldn't restrain his laughter.

Twenty minutes later, they were seated on a bench in Greenland Park. Clark supposed they must look odd- a masked couple in costumes. Cinderella and the Phantom of the Opera... if it were daytime, they'd be drawing stares. But he didn't particularly care.

"So, what exactly do you want to know?" he asked. Lois bit her lip, thinking. "Well, let's start with my original question: do you have any other powers?"

He nodded. "In addition to enhanced speed and strength, I have superhearing, and X-ray vision." Lois's eyebrows shot up. "I also have heat vision--" Clark focused on the trash can across the path from the bench where they sat. It burst into flames, and Lois jumped. "--And I'm invulnerable." Clark used his bare hands to beat out the fire.

Lois's mouth dropped open. "Wow," she whispered, "You are... amazing. I mean, you're just... super!" Clark shrugged. "I'm also supposed to be able to fly, but I haven't figured out how yet." Lois simply blinked.

After a moment, she recovered herself enough to ask, "So... what are you? Some kind of genetic experiment?" Clark shook his head. "No. You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said. He might be madly in love with Lois Lane, but he wasn't really ready to tell her all of this yet. He'd hoped for more time to explain things to her.

"Shoot," Lois said, crossing her arms and raising her chin. He smiled. She got so defiant when someone withheld information. It was one of the things he loved so much about her.

"Fine. I'm not human." "Yeah, you know, I kind of figured that." Clark's heart accelerated. That sharp, snappy remark was just so... Lois. Would it be really wrong of him to just kiss her, right now?

With a tremendous effort, he wrenched his mind back to the conversation. "Well, yeah, I've got a friend or two who isn't human, but I mean, I'm _really_ not human. I'm an alien."

Lois laughed. "As in a little green Mars-man?" she asked, incredulity written in the set of her mouth. Clark smiled. "Actually," he said, completely unable to resist seeing her expression, "I know a Martian. He was a good friend of my father's. And as far as I can tell, he's certainly not green."

"And you actually expect me to swallow this?" she said with a chuckle. Clark didn't reply. He simply looked at her. "Wait... you're serious?" Clark nodded. "Completely, Miss Lane."

"So... do you mind telling me a little about your homeworld?" Lois asked. He smiled. His curious reporter... wait, _his_? Who was he kidding? No man could really claim Lois Lane. She was completely untameable, yet another thing he loved so much about her.

"I come from a planet called Krypton. It was an ice planet, all snowfields and crystal. Our star was red."

Lois nodded. "It sounds beautiful," she said. Then she shook her head. "This is incredibly surreal, you know? Talking about some other planet with a bona fide alien."

Clark sighed. "I prefer the term 'intergalactic traveler'. Alien just seems so... accusatory. Like it's a bad thing. I used to think it was."

"And now?" Lois whispered. "Now? Now, I'm not so sure. I've been doing a lot of thinking," Clark replied, and suddenly found that it was true. His powers really were a gift. Not one he'd have chosen, if he _could _have chosen, but a gift nonetheless.

Completely unaware that he was having an epiphany, Lois rushed on, "So... you're friends with Green Arrow. As far as I can tell, he's just an ordinary man. Yet he's out on the streets, helping people. Sure, he sometimes crosses into very illegal territory, but he's all for the little guy, you know? But what about you? I'm sure I'd have heard if some superpowered alien was out there beating up criminals."

Clark looked away. Suddenly, he felt ashamed. He _should_ be using his powers to help people. How had he never seen this before? It was so selfish of him to keep the use of his powers for when people he knew needed him. The rest of the world had problems and threats... things he could help with...

"Ol- _Arrow_ has been trying to convince me to do something similar for some time. I guess I haven't done something like that because... I guess I've been afraid. What people would say, how they'd react to me. Very few humans actually believe in life on other planets, and with movies like 'War of the Worlds' and 'Independence Day'... It's hard to say how people would see me."

"You know, you have really low self-esteem for a guy who can catch bullets in his bare hands," Lois said with a smile.

Clark laughed. No matter how deep into depression or self-loathing he had sunk in the past years, Lois had always somehow managed to cheer him up, and she was still doing it. She'd always been like a slap in the face, like the one bright ray of sunshine in an eternally dark world. But now she was so much more than that. She was more like the sun itself than just something as insubstantial as a sunbeam. And he needed her every bit as much as he needed sunlight- probably more.

"Perhaps," he said, still chuckling. God, he loved her. "Well, Miss Lane, I should probably be going. You've given me a lot to think about."

"Really?" she said coyly. "I'm not used to being somebody's muse."

Clark raised his eyebrows. "Well then, perhaps we'll both learn something from each other." Oh god, had he really just said that? Not only did it sound completely lame, but he had _no_ idea what it was even supposed to mean!

Lois's brilliant smile broke across her face. "Is that supposed to mean that we'll be seeing each other again?" Her smile slipped for a moment. "But, I'm going back to Metropolis tomorrow."

"Don't worry about that. I'm only in town for a few days myself," Clark said. "But then..." Lois sighed in confusion. "Then how will we get in contact?" she asked.

"I'm always around, Miss Lane." Oh god, another totally cheesy line! What was _wrong_ with him? But Lois didn't seem to be disgusted with the lameness, as she most assuredly should have been. No, instead, she was gazing at him with a moon-eyed look that seemed very out of place on her face. Maybe the question should be, what was wrong with _her_?

She stood up, and he noticed that she'd taken off her glass slippers again. "Shoes bothering you, Miss Lane?" he asked as she struggled to push her feet into the crystalline shoes.

"Yes," she growled. "I don't even know why I bought them, they cost a _fortune_, and they're so uncomfortable-- Damn!"

Lois had put too much stress on the delicate slippers, and the left one had shattered. "Are you alright?" Clark asked, kneeling quickly before her to examine her foot. A shard of crystal had lodged itself in her heel, and it was bleeding.

"I'll be fine," Lois said hurriedly. "I can deal with this..." "Miss Lane, you're bleeding. Let me take you home," Clark insisted. He expected her to put up a fight. Lois didn't like taking help from anyone.

But apparently 'anyone' didn't apply to superheroes in their formative years, because she agreed with very little alacrity.

With no further ado, Clark picked her up effortlessly. Her heavy dress made carrying her awkward, but he managed quite smoothly. She told him the name of her hotel, and he sped off.

Seconds later, they arrived at the front door of Lois's hotel. Without breaking speed, Clark zoomed through the lobby and up the stairs. He stopped at the door to her room. "Wow," Lois whispered.

There was a brief silence, during which the pair stared at each other. "Um... Miss Lane? You're going to need a key." "Oh. Right."

Lois rummaged around in her clutch until she found her key card. She ran it through the slot, and Clark pushed open the door to the room.

He carried her into the bathroom, where he set her down on the counter, and knelt in front of her once more, examining her injured foot. "The cut's not too deep," he said. Very gently, he gripped out the shard of crystal and pulled it out. Lois's breath hissed out between clenched teeth.

"Sorry," he said, now applying a dab of disinfectant. He glanced up at her, then looked back at the cut on her foot, and cauterized it with his heat vision. The bleeding stopped, and he heard her suck in her breath.

"Did I... Should I not have... Do I freak you out?" he stuttered. Lois smiled. "No, not at all. I just wasn't expecting..." Clark stood up to face her. He was incredibly relieved to know that Lois wasn't going to be... weird... about his powers. The temptation to kiss her was incredibly strong, and they were barely inches apart.

Suddenly, the other shoe dropped off her right foot and shattered on the tile floor of the bathroom. "Oops," Lois whispered. She leaned forward an inch. He leaned forward an inch.

And then his courage ran out. He didn't want to rush this. He'd already probably dropped too much in her lap this evening, with the alien business and all. He pulled back.

"Good night, Miss Lane. I'll see you around," he said, and turned to go.

"Wait!" Lois called. "I... I don't even know your name! What do I call you?" Clark smiled, grateful that he had a nice, prepackaged answer. "The name I was given at birth is... Kal-El," he said, and supersped out of the hotel room.

--

Another Note From Lara: Okay, maybe not my best work. It felt kind of rushed when I read back over it, but there was no way to do this half-revelation without it being just a little awkward. I considered all kinds of scenarios, including various killer robots, plane crashes, and a hostage situation at the party, but in the end I decided that I didn't want Clark getting into any heroics (yet). So a simple conversation with his soul mate seemed best...


	7. Where Have I Heard that Name Before?

**A Note From Lara: Okay, so I'm not really past my writer's block, but I'm going to give this a shot. It's a pretty brief chapter, but short's better than nothing.**

Clark and Chloe were sitting companionably in the Talon apartment.

"Well, yeah, I told her all about my powers and the E.T. deal. Look, Chloe, this is... I... she didn't freak out at all. I think about how Pete took it when he first found out, and I just... I wonder why she's not reacting like that," Clark said.

Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Well, if you remember, Alicia didn't freak out so much, and neither did I."

Clark sighed. "Yeah, I guess that's true. But Alicia was just... Alicia. And as important to me as you are, my best friend, there's nothing in the world more important to me right now except that she accepts the idea of aliens, and then me as one."

Chloe forced a smile and nodded, trying to be happy for her best friend. But it was hard, so so hard, knowing that she'd lost him for good. All those years he'd spent pining for Lana, she'd waited them out, hoping he'd fly back to her. And just when he was finally past her, her own cousin swooped in to take Lana's place. But she would not be bitter, Chloe resolved. She didn't have any right to be bitter. It was her own fault if she'd lost her opportunity to be with Clark.

Clark launched into an account of the night before. "Wait a second," Chloe interrupted. "First off, the _Phantom of the Opera_? What happened to the Green Arrow!?"

He shrugged. "Sorry Chloe, I just couldn't. I returned the costume the day you gave it to me. It just seemed kind of... obvious." Chloe rolled her eyes. "Chicken," she muttered. Clark grinned his thousand-megawatt smile. Chloe noticed that it had appeared on his face more and more ever since he'd fallen for Lois. She supposed that if Lois made him that happy, she deserved him if anyone did.

Suddenly, Chloe's cell phone rang. "Hang on Clark, I've got to take this." She retreated to the bedroom.

--

Lois lay on her back, praying that Chloe would pick up the phone. Finally- _finally_- she answered with a brisk, "Chloe Sullivan".

"Oh, thank _god_ I finally got ahold of you," Lois said breathlessly. "Last night... he was there! At the charity ball! He was dressed as the Phantom of the Opera. But get this- he's not actually the Green Arrow, he's just a stand-in for when the real Green Arrow's hurt. He explained to me... look, Chloe, he's got superpowers! I kid you not! Like a meteor freak on 'roids! Turns out he's this alien!" Lois blurted, not even bothering to say hello.

"Really, Lois? That's... wow," Chloe said, faking enthusiasm.

"I know. He's so enigmatic, it's just... thrilling. He told me a little about his planet, and then I cut my foot on those damn shoes and he took me back to my hotel. He said we'd see each other again, which... well. And I asked him his name, because obviously I can't just keep going on calling him 'hey you', or whatever. And his name is Kal-El." For some reason, Lois seemed to place special emphasis on this fact.

"Yeah. Um... Lois, I don't mean to seem dismissive, but an exotic name isn't exactly the most thrilling thing about this mystery guy of yours," Chloe said. Clark would want to know why Lois seemed so interested in his Kryptonian name.

"First off, Chloe, he's not _mine_. Secondly, don't you remember? A couple years ago, after the last meteor shower, Nazi Barbie and Ken showed up in the medical center. Those two super-human crazies, remember? They were looking for a guy named Kal-El. Lana took them up to the mansion, and they were never heard from again. Which means that he must have stopped them! He's a hero, he basically saved the entire town of Smallville... not that it would've been such a terrible loss," Lois mused.

"Wow, Lois! I'll... um... look into it for you, huh? Take advantage of the Planet's database and whatnot. But right now I've really got to go," Chloe said, rushing to get off the phone to go inform Clark of this latest development.

"Yeah, but Chloe--"

"Bye Lois!"

click

Lois stared at the phone in her hand in amazement. Had Chloe just hung up on her? And why?

--

Chloe returned to the living room, uncertainty written all over her features. "Um... Clark? We might have a problem," she said.


	8. Wedding Preparations

_Two weeks later..._

"Clark?" Lana asked tentatively from where she stood at the top of the loft stairs.

He turned around, surprise all across his handsome face. "Lana? What are you doing here? You're getting married this afternoon!" he gasped. Lana smiled.

"Clark, I don't want to marry Lex!" she said softly after a moment. "He wasn't the person I thought he was and... I've realized that you're the person I want to spend the rest of my life with." She stared up at him, holding his gaze, waiting for the love and acceptance that had always been there whenever she remembered how much she truly loved him. And this time, it would be perfect; she knew what he'd been hiding, and there was nothing between them.

But the warm, overjoyed look she knew so well didn't infuse his eyes.

"Lana..." he began. Then he paused and bit his lip, clearly wondering how to continue. "Lana, there was a time when I would have taken you back without a second thought, but... I'm not in love with you anymore." Her eyes widened, and she could feel the whole world dropping out from beneath her. What was going on here? Clark was the one constant in her life; no matter how badly she messed up, Clark would always be there to put the pieces back together. So why was he standing here, saying these things he simply couldn't be?

"W-what?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Lana, I'll always care about you, but I don't love you. Marry Lex, or don't; I'll support you either way, if it's what you truly want." He smiled at her and her stomach dissolved into a mass of butterflies at the sight, even as her heart was spiraling downward.

"I--" she gasped, completely thrown. "I have to go." Choking back tears, she rushed out of the loft. She launched herself into her brand-new silver Porsche, and sped down the road toward the Luthor mansion. Fine, she decided. If Clark wouldn't have her, Lex was still the most honest person she knew. He might have a dark side, but Lana was sure that, given time, she could save him from that. And so she had to return to the mansion before Lex found the note she had left him...

--

After Lana left, Clark sighed and dropped onto the worn brown sofa. A month ago, he'd have never hesitated when Lana came back to him; he'd have simply taken her in his arms and kissed her for all she was worth. But now? He ran his hands through his dark hair, frowning at the floor in front of him.

"Careful Smallville. You stare at one spot too long, it's gonna burst into flames," came a voice from behind him. He jumped, startled.

"Lois?" he gasped, panicking. What had she meant by that? Had she found him out? But Lois's next words assuaged his fears.

"Relax Smallville. It's just me. I saw Lana flying out of here, and I popped up to see if you were okay." She sat down on the couch next to him.

He forced a smile. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just doing some thinking before I get ready for the wedding," he said as calmly as he could.

Lois's eyebrows contracted. "Wait, you're going? I would think it would be really weird to go to an ex's wedding, let alone on ex you're so clearly not over."

Clark snorted. "Lois, believe me when I say that I've _clearly_ moved on. I realized some time ago that I can't just keep hanging onto this hope that Lana will come back to me. There's nothing left in that relationship that hasn't been said and done already. I'll always care about Lana, but there's... nothing romantic there anymore." For a minute there was silence.

"So... what was Lana doing here anyway?" Lois asked finally.

Clark shrugged. "She just... wanted to talk about some of the things she felt were still hanging between us. I guess she was getting cold feet, and came to me."

He would never reveal to anyone what Lana had really come to him for- that was her secret to tell if she chose- but what he didn't say told Lois as much as what he did. Understanding dawned on her face, and she nodded to him, telling him she inferred what had happened, and acknowledging the truth of his earlier sentiments.

They sat together for awhile, and then Clark stood up. "Well, it's two hours until the wedding. I'd better go get ready." Lois glanced at her watch.

"Crap, you're right. I've got to go get ready myself," she said, rising and hurrying down the stairs. As she neared the bottom, Clark called after her.

"Lois... see you at the wedding?" he said in a questioning tone. She nodded, and continued on her way out.

--

**A Note From Lara: As you can see, this is just a little interlude that comes between plot twists. So, that's that. Closure, more or less. Next up: The Wedding, and Lois has a close encounter with a certain Masked Mystery Man.**


	9. Rooftop Discussions

**A Note From Lara: Ha! I bet you thought I forgot about this one, didn't you? Well, I didn't. I've just lacked ANY inspiration for it since discovering the magic and miracles that is Heroes. All my fic ideas come for Heroes now, so... yeah. But I made promises to finish this one, and I will.**

**This is just a short update, but it's better than nothing. In this chapter, Clark and Lois have a conversation at Lana's wedding reception.**

--

Lois brushed her newly darkened hair out of her eyes. She had gotten it done for Lana's wedding, and liked the way the darker color brought out lighter tones in her eyes.

She stood on the roof of Luthorcorp tower, where the wedding reception was being held. God, she wished Lana had seen sense in time to stop this whole mess. Lois knew she had been disparaging in regards to Clark's constant need to 'save' Lana from Lex, but the truth was, she knew from experience just how manipulative the Luthors could be. It wasn't entirely Lana's fault that she'd been roped into this travesty of a union.

Lois shuddered at the thought. Being married in general was a scary prospect to her. It felt so... tied down. Limited. There was nothing that terrified Lois more than being held back and restricted. It just wasn't a concept she could wrap her mind around.

Someone cleared their throat behind her. She spun around and saw... Clark. "Hey Smallville," she said.

He nodded, joining her in leaning against the balcony. "Why aren't you enjoying the party?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it just bothers me seeing Lana with Lex. I know I said she made that choice on her own, but... Maybe after the fact, I get that this is a forever thing. She's tied to him forever. And I've never been Lana's biggest fan, but nobody deserves to be trapped in the Luthor family that way. Even if it's voluntary, it's still a fate worse than death." Lois laughed, and Clark chuckled with her.

"So, I guess I don't have to ask what you're doing up here," she continued after a moment. "You're trying to avoid the 'happy' couple as much as possible."

Clark smiled ruefully and shook his head. "No, actually. I still don't like Lex, and I think it was a mistake for Lana to marry him, but... If anybody can reform Lex, I guess it's her." Lois raised her eyebrows dubiously, but Clark only laughed. "No, I'm serious. I really have moved on. Lana's not that special somebody anymore."

Silence descended over the rooftop as the pair looked out across the city glow. "So how about you?" Clark asked hesitantly after a moment. "Anybody special in your life lately?"

Lois started at the question; clearly he had thrown her. "Well... I met somebody. But I don't know... He's..."

A sinking feeling rose in Clark's stomach. So the alien thing bothered her after all.

"...kind of in-and-out. You know what I mean? One minute he's there, but then he's gone just a second later. It's disorienting."

The knot in his gut loosened, and he smiled. "You want my advice? Give it some time. This guy's probably just intimidated by the formidable Lois Lane."

"Never stopped you though, did it?" she said. "You managed to squirm into my life without running off every three seconds in panic."

Clark shrugged. "I'm not _that_ easily cowed," he said. "It would take a lot more than a rough exterior to send me running for the hills." Immediately, he regretted his words. Had he revealed too much about his feelings? It felt glaringly obvious to him. Lois, however, seemed to take little notice.

"Thanks Smallville," she said, chuckling. "So I take it we're friends now?"

They laughed at the old joke. And something Clark had seen that night, not so long after he had met her recurred to him. Just after they had confirmed their top-secret friendship, he had peered through his telescope, and seen two stars collide. Well, not stars, he knew, but comets or meteors or something. One brightly-burning object had come smashing into the other, lighting it up.

Looking back, it seemed almost like a sign, that Lois Lane would come crashing into his life and change everything. And really, hadn't she? Everything had been different since she had careered into him in that cornfield. Even before he had realized his true feelings for her... she had called him on it when he was feeling sorry for himself, she had never ceased to surprise him every time he thought he'd figured her out, and she usually managed to get herself in and out of trouble with a savoir-faire that stunned him.

"Yeah," he said. "Friends." They remained on the roof for a few minutes more before Chloe pulled open the stairwell door and called to them to come on inside, they were missing a fabulous party.

--

**Once again, kind of a filler chapter, but I'm kind of stuck between where I am and where I want to go with no idea of how to get there. I hope to wrap it up in under five chapters, though, so as soon as I get inspiration, there'll be another update.**


	10. One Month Later

**A Note From Lara: This chapter sucks. No denying it. I'm still trapped, inspiration-less. But even if it's not worth the non-ink it's written in, I _will_ finish this. Oh, and just a quick explanation: this chapter begins about a month after the Luthor-Lang wedding. And a _lot_ of changes have taken place...**

--

Lois bit her lip to hold back a scream. The knife blade jiggled against her throat, and she knew she only had one shot at this or she was dead. _God Lane, couldn't have just sent off the top layer of this story to copy, could you? Just _had_ to dig deeper, find that second- definitely more dangerous- angle and get yourself into trouble, didn't you?_

It was supposed to have been a simple drug raid in Suicide Slums. That was the story she'd been assigned. But _no_, Ace Reporter Lois Lane just _had_ to go and uncover the hornet's nest that was the Apex-funded drug ring... And now here she was in some smelly underground sewer, with a fully extended box cutter held against her throat.

"You want me to do it, boss?" came a cigarette-hoarsened voice from behind her.

The well-dressed Asian man shrugged. "I see no reason why not." Lois closed her eyes, giving the appearance of terror. Calming the beating of her heart as best she could, she tensed... and drove her heel backward into the thugs groin. He grunted in pain and dropped to the floor, the box cutter flying out of his hand.

"Sonofabitch!" the man groaned, clutching himself. "You'll pay for that!"

Lois ignored him, diving for the box cutter herself. "I kind of doubt that," she said. "Nobody messes with Lois Lane."

"I bet to differ," came the cultured voice of the "business" man behind her. She heard a click and felt something cold and metallic being pressed into the base of her skull.

_Shit._

--

It had been three hours since Clark had seen Lois exit the newsroom. He had been concerned that there was trouble when she came up with one of her usual flimsy excuses for leaving. And when he meant flimsy, he meant _flimsy_. Going to get coffee for the severely overworked Jimmy? _Not_ likely. It even made some of his quick-exit excuses sound waterproof.

He had been keeping track of her heartbeat with his superhearing, but aside from a few spikes which could have easily been caused by bad traffic, he hadn't picked up anything out of the ordinary. But now, as he tuned into what Lois was _saying_, he realized that all was not well. Not at all.

Oh god, she'd gotten herself in over her head _again_... He slipped off the horn-rimmed glasses that now adorned his face off and laid them carefully on his desk.

Within seconds, the newsroom was completely devoid of Kents.

--

Lois closed her eyes, waiting for the _Bang!_ she probably wouldn't even live to hear. _Got in too deep, Lane. Not gonna get out of this one, are you? Noooo, thought you were such a tough girl, thought you could handle the whole damn drug ring all on your own, never thought to call for backup..._

A _whoosh_, and suddenly the gun pressed against her head was gone. Lois whirled in time to see the mobster hit the wall. Then her vision was blocked out by a now-familiar S-shaped crest. "Superman!" she gasped.

The alien savior of Metropolis smiled at her through the mask that covered the area around his eyes. "Yes, it's me," he said. "You certainly have a way of getting in trouble, Miss Lane. Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. And how many times do I have to tell you, Kal-El? You can call me Lois."

He shrugged. "As many as it takes," he said, giving her that almost... _flirtatious_... look that Lois fancied he reserved only for her. Despite the fact that she had gotten to know the man rather better than most, she still retained some of the star-struck crush she had been under when she had first met the enigmatic hero. "Can I give you a lift back to the Planet?" he offered. It was Lois's turn to shrug, and in a moment, she found herself sitting at her desk at the Daily Planet bullpen.

Clark sauntered over to her. "What did you do _this _time?" he asked, fiddling with his glasses.

Lois cocked her head. "Nothing much. Just stumbled across a drug ring. Thank god Superman managed to save my camera, of I'd have no proof and then it would all be worthless..." She began to ramble on, digging through the piles of papers in order to find some of her earlier notes to update. "... and I was forced to take direct and rather impolite action against his nether regions."

Her bespectacled partner laughed incredulously. "You know, one of these days, Superman's not going to get there fast enough and then we'll see how well you can get out of these fixes all on your own."

She grinned cheekily at him. "Come on, Smallville. You know I'm perfectly able to take care of myself." Her face took on a vacant expression. "You know what I'd _really_ like?" she asked after a moment. "I'd like to see Superman without the mask. He says he'll take it off eventually, once all the xenophobes quiet down, but how long will _that_ be?"

Clark shrugged uncomfortably. The truth was, he wasn't worried about the rest of the world. It was she and she alone that he was concerned about. How would she react when she discovered that the hero she'd admired for nearly two months was just Clark "Smallville" Kent, the ordinary man she'd worked beside for nearly as long? He doubted she'd be as keen to be saved as she was before...

--

**Yes, I committed sacriledge. Superman + mask = no sense, but like I said, lack of inspiration and creativity on this one...**


End file.
